Ryanair agrees deal with European pilot unions

Ryanair has reached agreements with the Spanish and French pilot unions to restore pay and further improve pay annually until March 2027.

The deal with SEPLA comes after the budget carrier’s chiefs agreed a similar deal with its French-based pilots, through SNPL.

This year, the airline says it is “prioritising” the early restoration of pay for its people through these re-negotiated agreements as it looks to boost job security.

It also predicted it would grow to 115% of its pre-Covid capacity.

Darrell Hughes, Ryanair people director, revealed all of the carrier’s pilots are protected by 2020 Emergency Agreements and explained more than 85% of its pilots had re-negotiated accelerated pay restoration and improved long-term deals so far.

He said: “We welcome these long-term agreements which run until 2027 and will deliver numerous improvements for our pilots based in Spain and France.

“While the recovery from the impact of the pandemic is still ongoing and our industry faces significant challenges, this long-term agreement delivers stability, accelerated pay restoration, future pay increases and other benefit improvements for pilots.”

Last month, some of Ryanair’s cabin crew members took strike action in Belgium, Spain and Portugal in a dispute over pay and working conditions.